Quote from: Aussie Jay on November 11, 2012, 01:49:05 AM
You're either in...or you're out - can't pick and choose.

I'll tell that to my trans buddy who takes finasteride and who has had a miraculous regrowth of lost hair. Or, for that matter, my cis buddy who has had the same success and who hasn't noticed any particular side effects. Or my cis buddy who manages his cholesterol with meds.

C'mon. You make it sound as if whatever happens to men is completely inevitable, and it isn't. We--trans and cis alike--have to accept that we might not be able to fight certain effects of testosterone. That's a far cry from having to simply take whatever happens. Many of us have some options with certain effects. And many of us choose those options.

I went on finasteride a while back because I wasn't emotionally ready to deal with losing my hair. So I did "pick and choose," with regard to this particular characteristic.

My doctor and I discussed it. I told him that I would review my decision later down the road. I have, and I'm ready to stop, at least for a while. But I do not consider my hair loss inevitable or even irrevocable. I might go back on the same meds, I might wind up getting a hair transplant or buying a toupee (I doubt it), or I might go on whatever the latest med is that comes out in the next few years. For now, I'm content to go off the meds and see what happens. This is my current choice.

Arch- have you noticed any side affects of taking the finasteride?

No way to know for sure, Kenton, but I'm convinced that my body and facial hair have been affected. There may have been other effects. I have written about some of them in other threads recently.

I don't know whether my vocal changes have been retarded by the finasteride, and I don't know about stuff like muscle mass or psychological effects. My sex drive does not appear to have been affected. But different guys have different experiences.

Taking T and then blocking the conversion to DHT sounds very counter productive for a MTF. Most male secondary sexual characteristics are caused by DHT, which is a MUCH stronger form of T. I know when I was taking it my body hair was majorly reduced.

And it' not like finasteride has no bad side effects. I took it as a feminization drug as part of HRT and developed depression, which I have never experienced in my life before taking this drug. Days after I stopped it felt like a fog was lifted and the depression went away. That is a documented side effect for some people with a chemical/biological reason for it to happen. And yes this all can happen at "hair loss doses". 

Quote from: Stephe on November 11, 2012, 09:24:46 PM
And yes this all can happen at "hair loss doses".

I never said that the lower dose doesn't cause any side effects. I merely pointed out that there is a vast difference between the usual "prostate" dose and the recommended hair loss dose, which is 1/5 as much--or, if you buy large pills and quarter them, about 1/4 as much. The side effects of the smaller dose are, of course, less than that of the larger dose.

Some trans guys might try the drug and find that the advantages of finasteride are not worth the disadvantages, but I would hardly generalize every trans man's experience as counterproductive. For example, on a small dose of finasteride, I have continued to develop masculine characteristics. My skin toughened up more, I acquired more body hair, I acquired enough facial hair to be worth growing out, and I went from a tenor to a baritone and then to a deeper baritone. I know another FTM who is a finasteride "success story," but he was farther along in his transition. And lots of cis guys use small amounts of this drug for hair loss without turning into eunuchs. Everyone is different.

As with any medication, other trans guys have to read up on the side effects and discuss their options with their doctors before they decide whether to try something like this--and whether to continue with it if they do start.

Quote from: Arch on November 11, 2012, 03:36:59 PM
We--trans and cis alike--have to accept that we might not be able to fight certain effects of testosterone.

That's all I meant mate. And as I said in my post - "Not that there's anything wrong with doing those things - they're just not for me.". The OP's question was are you afraid of balding and no I'm not, to me that's part and parcel of being a man. To me it's just hair

There are times when it seems people want T so badly but they don't want this, that or the other - in that respect I meant you can't pick and choose what effects you do or don't get. Sorry maybe I wasn't clear in what I wrote. And clearly this is just my opinion and what you wrote is yours. But I sincerely didn't mean to imply one should not do as they wish, ie take whatever to combat unwanted effects of T. Apologies if that's what you took from my post, was not my intention.

Quote from: Aussie Jay on November 11, 2012, 01:49:05 AM
I always thought MPB was pretty clear by age 30(ish) - I remember having a conversation where I was told if you have MPB it happens a lot earlier on than just balding because you've had too many birthdays! As for me.... I don't really care. I mean I don't particularly want to lose my hair but the possibility of it happening is all part of being a man. I don't want any further special treatment! Would I wear a wig - no. Would I take something to stop it - no. I'd  probably just shave my head shorter than I already do. Not that there's anything wrong with doing those things - they're just not for me

I agree. I don't plan on wearing a wig or taking anything to stop it. Although, I wonder. I started T almost 9 months ago and I'm 27. Could I still get MPB? I don't care if I do. I'm just wondering.

Quote from: Aussie Jay on November 12, 2012, 02:34:15 AM
That's all I meant mate.

Okay, I get it.

Quote from: Darrin Scott on November 12, 2012, 05:45:54 PM
I agree. I don't plan on wearing a wig or taking anything to stop it. Although, I wonder. I started T almost 9 months ago and I'm 27. Could I still get MPB? I don't care if I do. I'm just wondering.

I would expect it to be delayed. If you figure your average guy starts experiencing puberty in his teens and begins MPB (if he has it in his genes) somewhere in the range of 19-25, then I would expect the average trans guy to have a few years go by before any sign of MPB. But I'm not a doctor. I'm just speculating here. Point is, it does appear to take some time on T before it's triggered. If you're watching out for it, something like Finasteride will be most effective if it's started in the early stages. It works best as a preventative of more balding.